It’s become really easy to read too far into things and find perceived offence where there really isn’t any. When someone majestically crams their foot in their mouth, as easy as it is to pile on them, it is important to give them the opportunity to better explain themselves, at least to a reasonable measure.
And then something like this happens and you realize, “Oh, wait — fuck those guys.”
Say hell to the people of Johnstone, a small Scottish town west of Glasgow no one has ever heard of. Turns out, there’s a very good reason that Johnstone isn’t known as a tourist hotspot: the townsfolk are less than pleasant. According to a report by Pink News, Stephanie Smyth, a trans woman and former resident of the town, was allegedly run out of town when her neighbours started accusing her of witchcraft and hurling transphobic abuse at her.
Stephanie Smyth, 32, told The Gazette, that verbal abuse she received was “traumatic”, and that she found living in the area “hell”, as she was attempting to come to terms with her identity.
She said she was the subject of abuse hurled at her in the streets, and that staff in shops sneered at her. She said she was subjected to taunts, and that she was accused of being a “witch”.
She went on to say that she wanted to use her situation to raise awareness, so that other trans people would not have to suffer in the same way.
I really like to think that I’m at the point where I’m not easy to surprise, but HOLY FUCK JESUS. Accusing a trans woman of being a witch? It’s like you’ve discovered new and exciting ways to be stupid. You’re literally moronic to a degree that the human mind cannot comprehend. You’ve achieved glorious new heights of derp.
On the plus side, at least Smyth is out of that backward hell-hole. Hopefully, she’s found a new home in a better place where the residents aren’t four centuries behind the times.
Why you can trust Xtra
